Can closing machine



Aug. 8, 1950 R. M. WEYGANT El'AL CAN CLOSING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 1, 1946 I'll Ill llIl-l-l I'll Ir o 0 Q o n 0 0 o o 8, 1950 R. M. WEYGA NT ETAL 2,517,616

CAN CLOSING MACHINE Filed March 1, 1946 5 31 1 2 E zlIg/VENTOS HTTOE'NEYS R. M. WEYGANT ETAL Aug. 8, 1950 CAN CLOSING MACHINE Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 1, 1946 Aug. 8, 1950 R. M. W EYGANT EIAL 2,517,616

CAN CLOSING MACHINE Filed March 1, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVEN 0R5 Patented Aug. 8, 1950 CAN CLOSiNG MACHINE Robert M. *Wcygant and John S; Massey, Wau

keg-an, lll.,assignors to American Can-Com .pany, New York, 3 N. Y., a J corporation of. New

Jersey Application March 1, 1946,Serial'No. 651,119

Claims.

The present invention relates to can-closing machines and thel-ike and has particularreferenceto an improved toppin mechanism for use insuch machines.

Anobject of the invention is theprovision of an improved topping mechanism wherein the topping head is maintained in a substantially up- "right position by a double chain differential de- "vice which is of simple construction and one which provides accurate efiicient operation.

*Another object is the provision ofsuch an improved topping mechanism for a can closing machine wherein a topping head is'arrangedfor travel along a slightly inclined, straight line path of travel above the line of travel of a can to be topped, so that the topping head will enter the can gently and gradually to efiect the topping operation without any splashing of the liquid contents of the can.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the inventionwillbe apparent as it is better underf stood from the following description, which,

taken in connection with -the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment wthereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a front elevation of a topping vmechanism embodying the instant invention,

with parts broken away; i

Fig. 2 is 1 a top plan sectional view of 'the mechanism taken substantially along the line 2--2-in Fig. 1, Withparts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken sub-. stantially along the line 3-3 in Fig.1; withparts broken away; i

Fig. 4 is a :backelevation of thehmechanism,

.with parts broken away; and

Figs. 5, 6 and? are enlarged fragmentary de- .tails of chains used in the mechanism.

. As awpreierrecl embodiment of the instant invention the drawings disclose a continuous operation topping mechanism for pushing solid mat- .ter in filled cans down below the top edge of the cans preparatory to the cans being closed. and sealedwith suitable covers. The mechanismmay .fornra part of a more elaborate machine .such asqa closing machine forssealing the-covers in place on the topped cans.

. In such a closing machine filled cans A (Fig. 1)

to. .bettopped are: :advanced in spaced order. and

- vice of the closing machine.

(Gl.i226-80) 2 *The topping of the cans A is performedby a plurality of-topping heads I! which movealong V a straight line path of travel above the cans as they advance along thetable II. In the mechanismshown in the drawinga'there are six of the topping heads ll. These headsarecarried on "an endless chain conveyor or topping chain 1 9 at -spaced intervalseach space being equal to the distancebetween the cans A moving along the 10 table; For this purpose each topping head I! is providedwith an upright stem 2e (see alsoFig. 3) which fits into a socket 2| formedin the "head. A pin 22 holds the stem in place.

Each topping head stem is secured to'the 15 outer overhanging end of a support shaft25 (Figs 1 and 3). There are six of these support shafts, onefor eachhead. Each shaft is carried ina pair of spaced bearings 26 formed on special chain links 21 (Figs. 6 and7) constituting parts of the topping chain l9. Between the bearings 26, eachsupport shaft carries a support roller 28.

"The-topping chain [9 which carries the topping heads I! operates-over a pair of spaced sprockets 3l,-32 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) which arelo- 25 cated one each adjacent the ends of thetopping mechanism. Thesesprockets are provided each with a pair of clearance recesses 34 formed in their peripheries in diametrically disposed relation and provide clearance for the chain support 30 rollers28. p

Thejtopping chain sprocket 32 is anidler sprocketand ismounted on an idler shaft 36 (Fig 2) journaled in a pair of spaced bearings 31,"38. Bearingtl is formed-in a back wall 135 ofan open faced housing having a depending "integral bracket 4| (see Fig. 4) bolted to the frame l 2 of the closing machine. The bearing 38 is formed ona right angle web-Mwhich extends out from the inner face of the "housing l -back wall 39.

,The "topping-chain sprocket 3| is a driving sprocket 'and ismounted on a driveshaft journaled. in a pair of spaced bearings 46, 41. Bearing ifi is formedin acover plate Mibolted 5 to theback wall 39 of the housing Mwhile bearing 41 is formed in a right angle web dilxwhich extends out from the inner face of the'housing back wall.

The driving shaft @515 continuously rotated 0 in time with the passage or'the cans A along the'table. 'This is brought. about by a gear .52 (Figs 2, 3 and 4) which is mounted on the. driving shaft. (This gear meshes with and is driven by. aigearj53 .mounted on .ajack. shaft 54 jour- 55. nale'd in a pair of spaced bearingslfiii, 56. formed .in the .cover plate 48 and in the housing {ill-respectively. .The 'jack shaft :54 is continuously rotated by-aisprocketisl which is carried on the innerend Ofi the shaft adjacent the bearing; 56.

60. They sprocket is driven by an; endless... chain .-.62

which operates over a driven sprocket 63 mounted on the outer end of a stub shaft 64 journaled in a bearing 65 formed in the machine frame l2. The inner end of the stub shaft carries a main driving sprocket 66 which meshes with the feedin chain M which propels the filled cans A along the table II of the machine.

Hence through the sprocket connection and gear train just described the topping chain drive shaft 45 is rotated at a suitable speed which drives the topping chain l9 and the topping heads I! connected thereto, at the same lineal speed as the can feed chains l4. Thus the topping heads move with the chain along a straight line path of travel along the lower run of the chain in time with the travel of the cans along the table II. At the end of this straight line path of travel the topping heads ride up around the idler sprocket 32 and return along the upper run of the chain.

In order to properly effect the topping operation, the lower run of the topping chain 19 is disposed at a slight angle to the table II, the chain sloping downwardly toward the table in the direction of travel of the cans along the table. For this purpose the chain driving shaft 45 is elevated slightly above the idler shaft 36. The topping heads H are located on the topping chain in positions that align with the tops of the cans as the inclined lower run of the chain moves along with the cans passing across the table.

Hence as a topping head I! rides around the topping chain driving sprocket 3i it moves down toward an incoming filled can A propelled by the can feed chain I4 and comes into position directly above the open top of the can as best shown in Fig. 1. As the topping head and the can continue to move along at the same speed, the inclined lower run of the topping chain brings the topping head down into the top of the can to effect the topping operation.

This downward movement of the head into the can continues slowly and gently along the entire length of the straight line lower run of the chain and thus results in a complete topping of the can without excessive loss by splashing of the contents of the can. This feature is of great advantage where some of the contents of the can is of a liquid nature. At the end of this topping operation the topping head is withdrawn from the can top quickly and gently by its movement upwardly around the idler sprocket 32 as hereinbefore mentioned.

All of the topping heads I! are maintained in a horizontal position at all times during their travel with the topping chain I9 along its topping and return runs and while passing around the sprockets 3|, 32. This is brought about by a differential sprocket ll (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) which is formed on the inner end of each of the support shafts 25. All six of these sprockets mesh with a double differential chain 12 disposed adjacent the topping chain l9 and following a path of travel paralleling that of the topping chain.

The differential chain 12 is in fact two chains located side by side and formed as one chain as best shown in Fig. 5. Such a construction of chain produces a single wide chain having two parallel sprocket runs. The differential sprockets H operate with the innermost run of this chain. The outer run of the chain operates over an idler sprocket 13 and a driving sprocket '14. The idler sprocket is freely mounted on the idler shaft 36. The driving sprocket 14 is bolted to the inner face of a differential gear 15 freely mounted on the drive shaft 45. This gear meshes with and is driven by a gear 16 keyed to the jack shaft 54.

Through this gear train 15, 16 the differential chain 12 is operated at a lineal speed of travel which along its lower and upper straight line paths of travel is equal to that of the topping chain. Hence as the topping chain l9 carries its topping heads ll along the straight line paths of travel, the differential sprockets H are not rotated by the differential chain but merely remain stationary since both chains are traveling at the same lineal speed, Thus the stationary sprockets hold the topping heads attached to the support shafts 25 in a predetermined level or horizontal position.

However, the angular speed of the sprockets 13 and I4 is slightly less than the angular speed of the sprockets 3| and 32. Hence as the topping heads ll travel around the topping sprockets 3|, 32 the dilferential sprockets H in mesh with the differential chain rotate slightly in the proper direction. The result of this difference is to maintain the heads in their level or horizontal position even while passing around the sprockets. In this manner the heads are maintained in a common position during their travel around the entire path of travel of the topping chain.

Provision is made for backing up the topping stems against tilting under pressure of the topping operation on the heads H as they travel along the lower run of the topping chain. For this purpose the support rollers 28, as they travel along the lower run of the topping chain, engage against and ride along the lower edge of a track or upper guide rail 8| (Figs. 1 and 3). This rail extends the full length of the lower run of the topping chain I9. The rail adjacent its ends is secured to the right angle webs 42, 49.

The inner end of each support stem 25 adjacent the differential sprocket ll carries a support roller 82. These rollers, as the stems 25 travel along the lower run of the topping chain, engage against and ride along the upper edge of an auxiliary support track or lower guide rail 83. This lower rail extends parallel with the upper rail for the full length of the lower run of the topping chain and is secured to an adjacent wall 84 of the housing 40.

Hence when the topping heads I1 move down into the tops of the cans A, the upward pressure on the heads brought about by the resistance of the contents of the cans, is resisted by the rollers 28, 82 riding against the tracks 8 l 83. Thus these support tracks keep the stems 25 level and thereby maintain the heads in proper position for efiicient topping of the cans,

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes ma be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

We claim:

1. In a can topping mechanism, the combination of feeding means for advancing a filled can along a straight line path of travel and through a topping operation, an endless chain disposed above the path of travel of said can, the lower run of said chain sloping downwardly toward the path of travel of the can while passing through the topping operation and in the direction of travel of the can, a topping head carried on said endless chain, leveling means for maintaining said head in substantially axial disposition relative to said can throughout the length of travel with said endless chain, and actuating means for operating said chain in time with the travel of the can to bring said topping head into topping engagement gradually and gently with the contents of said filled can so as to avoid excessive spilling of the contents of the can during the topping operation.

2. In a can topping mechanism, the combination of feeding means for advancing a filled can along a straight line path of travel, an endless topping chain disposed above and extending along the path of travel of said can, a topping head carried on said topping chain, actuating means for operating said topping chain in time with the travel of the can to bring said topping head into topping engagement with said can for the topping operation, and means for maintaining said topping head in a level position throughout its entire cycle of travel with the topping chain.

3. In a can topping mechanism, the combination of feeding means for advancing a filled can along a straight line path of travel, an endless topping chain disposed above and extending along the path of travel of said can, a topping head carried on said topping chain, actuating means for operating said topping chain in time with the travel of the can to bring said topping head into topping engagement with said can for the topping operation, a differential sprocket for said topping head, a double differential chain operable in time with said topping chain, and driving and supporting sprockets for said double chain, said double chain having a run for meshing engagement with said differential sprocket and a separate adjacent run for meshing engagement with the driving and supporting sprockets for maintaining said topping head in a level position throughout its entire cycle of travel with the topping chain.

4. In a can topping mechanism, the combination of feeding means for advancing filled cans alon a straight line path of travel and in spaced relation, an endless topping chain disposed above and extending along the path of travel of said cans, a plurality of pairs of support bearings carried in spaced relation on said topping chain, a support shaft freely carried in each pair of said bearings, a topping head secured to the outer end of each of said support shafts, actuating means for operating said topping chain in time with the travel of the cans to bring said topping heads into topping engagement with said cans for the topping operation, a differential sprocket secured to the inner end of each of said support shafts, a double differential chain operable in time with said topping chain, and driving and supporting sprockets for said double chain, said double chain having a run for meshing engagement with said differential sprockets and a separate adjacent run for meshing engagement with the driving and supporting sprockets for maintaining said topping heads in a level position throughout their entire cycle of travel with the topping chain.

5. In a can topping mechanism, the combination of feeding means for advancing filled cans along a straight line path of travel and in spaced relation, an endless topping chain disposed above and extending along the path of travel of said cans, a plurality of topping heads carried in spaced relation on said topping chain, actuating means for operating said topping chain in time with the travel of the cans to bring said topping heads into topping engagement with said cans for the topping operation, means for maintaining said topping heads in a level position throughout their entire cycle of travel with the topping chain, and devices adjacent the path of travel of said topping heads for supporting said heads against the pressure resistance of the contents of the cans during the topping operation.

6. In a can topping mechanism, the combination of feeding means for advancing filled cans along a straight line path of travel and in spaced relation, an endless topping chain disposed above and extending along the path of travel of said cans, a plurality of topping heads carried in spaced relation on said topping chain, actuating means for operating said topping chain in time with the travel of the cans to bring said topping heads into topping engagement with said cans for the topping operation, means for maintaining said topping heads in a level position throughout their entire cycle of travel with the topping chain, and support tracks adjacent the path of travel of said topping heads for supporting said heads against the pressure resistance of the contents of the cans during the topping operation.

7. In a can topping mechanism, the combination of feeding means for advancing filled cans along a straight line path of travel and in spaced relation, an endless topping chain disposed above and extending along the path of travel of said cans, a plurality of support bearings carried in spaced relation on said topping chain, a support shaft freely carried in each of said bearings, a topping head secured to the outer end of each of said support shafts, actuating means for operating said topping chain in time with the travel of the cans to bring said topping heads into topping engagement with said cans for the topping operation, a differential sprocket secured to the inner end of each of said support shafts, a double differential chain operable in time with said topping chain, a driving sprocket and a supporting sprocket for said double chain, said double chain having a run for meshing engagement with said differential sprockets and a separate adja cent run for meshing engagement with said driving and supporting sprockets for maintaining said topping heads in a level position throughout their entire cycle of travel with the topping chain, a pair of support rollers mounted on said support shafts in spaced relation, and a pair of support tracks disposed in spaced relation adjacent the lower run of said topping chain, each track being engageable by one of said rollers on each shaft and located above and below the path of travel of the rollers for supporting said shafts against tilting under the pressure resistance of the contents of the cans during the topping operation.

ROBERT M. WEYGANT. JOHN S. MASSEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,677,928 Phillips July 24, 1928 1,914,262 Kronquest June 13, 1933 2,367,387 Davies .....-.--.....-M Jan. 16, 1945 

